So the songs recorded last summer with Señor Krampf are now on the streaming player: Someway, Somehow, Bring on the Night, Blow it Out, Leave it all Behind...
What does everyone think about the recordings? (be honest)

I think that they are amazing and I would have been very, very satisfied with the stuff being released as either an EP or an album. I think I already mentioned all of this when the LIAB demo was released and the Buffalo Head 45, but the sessions managed to take the best elements of both Matt Mahaffey and Brian Carter's production and combine to make a really cool sound. The only thing that kinda gets me is the echo affect on Matt's voice at times, but it's not anything that detracts from the song. If this is the type of stuff that they are shelving, then the actual album will be the best thing that we have ever heard...ever.

The recordings and production are great. Maybe even perfect. Not too slick, no fancy effects, and the energy of the band translates well on these songs. I really, really like the grittiness of "Buffalohead". Craig did a great job capturing the sound of an excellent 4-piece rock band.

I love Someway, Somehow... I think it's got a great sound. Honestly, that recording is my favorite features song right now. Blow It Out, I've only heard live version and this recording, but I think it sounds good... And I think that Bring On The Night is spectacular as well... I like hearing all of them live the best, but I think this is a good batch of recordings. Someway, Somehow sounded quite different than what I was used to but it quickly grew on me.

i really love the sound of those sessions......the band sounds very tight and the production is very clean, but not too clean......the other demo session that they with Carter and Krampf did earlier in the winter also sounds very good (the demos were as follows:me and the skirts, the way its meant to be, a million ways to sing the blues, exhibit a, and look out below)

I don't know much about music or recording techniques so I can't really analyze the recordings much. However, I can say that they do a much better job of capturing the band's live sound than any of the other recordings that I've heard.

My number one complaint about all of the other recordings that I have is that the band on the CD doesn't sound that much like the band that I go hear on the weekends. The Krampf recordings sound like they were recorded at a show. (That's a compliment.)

exactly....it captures the essence of the band live better than any other recordings....

I'll agree with what everyone else has said in that these recordings do the best job to date of "capturing" what the Features are. They don't sound too gimmicky or overproduced. It's just the Features laid bare on tape, without too many effects or overdubs. But the other side of the coin is that they sound fantastic. Other recording sessions have "kept it simple" in terms of production, but the sound quality has not been so great (the Brian Carter songs on The Beginning, anything pre-Rollum). These recordings just sound great, and I think that comes from working with an experienced producer, as opposed to a 20something from Murfreesboro (no offense intended to anyone). I think that the key to the greatness of these recordings is the drum sound - it can make or break the way an album sounds, and in this case, i think it definitely "makes" it.

I think the guitar sounds its clearest in those sessions since the original EP. I agree that it's great stuff.

Why do they go all the way to Mississippi to record? Weren't these last sessions done here in Nashville at Sound Emporium?? Isn't the place where REM recorded Document good enough?

I'd be curious to hear the thoughts of Eno2 on all this since he always said quite a bit about the Features' ideal producer.

Why Mississippi? To get away from everything around here. There's nothing to do where they're going except record a kick-ass record.

I do love the new demos and how they do seem to sound more like the band does live, but one element that I hope returns on the full-length, and one thing that certainly is missing from their live show, is great, lush backing melodies. Yeah, that's what some people hated about the last attempt at a record, but I'm a sucker for it. If we get a combination of how they sound, musically, live and some of the great vocal work that Matt and Roger (and now Rollum) are more than capable of doing, it'll be heaven.

(Edited by BrianW at 5:25 pm on Apr. 29, 2003)

I enjoy the vocal backings and think they would definitely add to the album.

(Edited by Token at 8:28 pm on Apr. 29, 2003)

there's some nice harmony at the end of "someway..." that i think sounds good and is pretty tasteful. i too was a sucker for the mahaffey vocal harmonies (the prechorus in "demons" and at the end of darkroom.....my god). but honestly, it's really too freddie mercury.
i love the way this new stuff sounds. mr. krampf has done what no other producer could do for this band. the bass is a little soft, but i understand that it wasn't really mastered and all that. i think it's perfect.

(Edited by 6969hOoBaInCuBuS420 at 8:34 pm on Apr. 29, 2003)

I'm definitely a fan of all of the newest set of recordings (and I'd be keen to hear the "other" demos that Ray mentioned... recorded "Look Out Below" especially, I'm a sucker for that song). I agree with all that's been said about these sessions sounding more like the band sounds than anything that has preceded. I do disagree with jamie in terms of the pre-Rollum sound, but only for the Features EP, which I thought sounded even too clean. I'm really looking forward to this full length, it'll be a real treat.

Will

i've yet to hear a lot of the unreleased stuff mentioned at the top of this page, but i hope to soon. ray has spoken well of it.

Well, the producer seems cool, but his daughter is kind of...

haha, just kidding. Seriously, I think the Krampf recordings are so good that I actually remember where and when I first heard them, who was there, what time of day it was, etc. It was like "where were you when Kennedy was shot" except a lot more fun and perhaps less of a global experience. I remember feeling so excited that those songs would carry them to glory & even loving Buffalohead, even though it's one of my least favorite. I agree that the more backing harmonies, the better- and I also agree that Freddie-style infinite harmonies is not a good thing for the Features, much as might love Queen.

Well I'm not calling for Freddie-style harmonies! I have never liked Queen and probably never will, though who knows, stranger things have happened (I do consume broccoli now, who'd of thought?). I do however like more ELO-style vocals. But there's certainly a cheesiness to that, so hopefully it's backed off a bit. I do know that the guys used, though it's turned down in the mix, falsetto backing harmonies for "That's the Way It's Meant to Be", so this isn't entirely a stretch for them.

(Edited by BrianW at 8:11 pm on Apr. 30, 2003)

It's because of Brian Carter, isn't it?

I wonder if they'll ever allow the rest of the Krampf stuff to be released...or is there more that we haven't heard?

YDDD, I'm not used to you having any optimism or even doubt in your mind that we might get to hear stuff... I'm surprised that you'd consider this a possibility. For my part, I hope they put the other Krampf stuff on the player soon, I'd love to hear it, and can't exactly make it to the Red Rose and hope that I hear it.

Will

By released I just mean for them to put it on the player. That's plenty better than all the nonsense that goes with releasing an EP or 7" or whatever.